The IDF intensified its fire in southern Lebanon and deeper inside the country over the past day, as troops expanded ground operations at several points and the Israel Air Force continued supporting forces operating beyond the so-called "yellow line" ceasefire demarcation.
The IDF’s Arabic-language spokesman also called on residents of southern Lebanon to evacuate and move north of the Zahrani River, signaling possible further strikes in the area.
IDF broadens Hezbollah strikes, tells southern Lebanese to move farther north
Smoke from strikes was documented Wednesday near Beaufort Castle, while Lebanese reports also cited unusual strikes in the Baalbek area of the Bekaa Valley and in Tyre in southern Lebanon.
In southern Lebanon, troops from the 91st and 36th divisions began deeper operations beyond the yellow line, carrying out raids on positions that provide fire control and observation. At the same time, the IDF’s Arabic-language spokesman issued evacuation warnings for villages deeper inside Lebanon.
The army said airstrikes are helping force Hezbollah operatives into a defensive posture after ground troops pushed them deeper into villages.
Because wide areas separate many villages in southern Lebanon, Hezbollah operatives are pushed to more distant village lines when IDF troops advance along one line of villages, sometimes several kilometers deeper inside the area.
The goal of the operation is to strike drone launchers and deny, or at least disrupt, Hezbollah’s ability to target northern Israeli border communities and military posts along the frontier.
Lebanese media described the latest activity as an escalation, amid Israeli warnings of deeper action against Hezbollah. However, reports from Lebanon did not describe an unusual number of strikes or a higher number of casualties compared with recent weeks of fighting.
The ground maneuver is continuing under restrictions imposed by the United States on the scope of fighting amid negotiations with Iran. The Israeli government has avoided approving strikes on Beirut, while Northern Command forces say they are ready to operate anywhere in their area of responsibility if strikes deeper inside Lebanon and against Hezbollah’s centers of gravity are approved.
Earlier Wednesday, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir said at an air force ceremony that Israeli aircraft and personnel were operating from the air and ground, striking Hezbollah, supporting ground troops, defending northern Israel, repeatedly targeting senior Hamas figures in Gaza and preparing for developments in any arena.